419 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I looked,.... Took a view of the people, and observed that they were in their proper place, and sufficiently armed, and also whether the enemy was coming: and rose up and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people; who were under their nobles and rulers, as their captains and commanders: be not ye afraid of them; of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard it was known unto us,.... What they intended, as might be reported to them from the preparations made by the Jews to receive them, and defend themselves: and God had brought their counsel to naught; which was to come upon them secretly and unawares; but being discovered, they dropped their design, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass from that time forth,.... That they were thus alarmed of danger from their enemies: that the half of my servants wrought in the work; of building the wall; his domestic servants, his guards, or mighty men, as Jarchi, men of war, the soldiers: and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows; some...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ver. 17 They which builded on the wall,.... That laid the mortar and stones upon it, and timber where it was necessary: and they that bore burdens; that carried the mortar, stones, and timber to the builders, and served them: with those that laded; which prepared the above for them, and laid them on their shoulders: everyone with one of his hands...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For the builders had everyone his sword girded by his side, and so builded,.... Thus accoutred he wrought, and was prepared for either service: and he that sounded the trumpet was by me; to give the alarm of war, that everyone might lay aside his work, and prepare for the battle: this officer stood by Nehemiah, that when he found it necessary,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people,.... [See comments on Ne 4:14], the work is great and large; the building of the wall all around the city of Jerusalem: and we are separated upon the wall one far from another; some at work on one part of it, and some at another, so that the distance between one another,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet,.... Be it what part of the wall soever they were at work, even the most distant: resort ye thither to us; to Nehemiah, and the half of his servants armed, where the trumpet was blown; that was to be the place of rendezvous: our God shall fight for us; and give us victory over our enemies;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So we laboured in the work,.... Of building the wall: and half of them held the spears; and other weapons before mentioned, Ne 4:16 from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared; that is, from morning to evening, the space of time the builders and labourers worked.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Likewise at the same time said I unto the people,.... That were at work upon the wall: let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem; every builder had a servant, or a lad, as the word signifies, to wait upon him, to bring mortar or stone, or what he wanted; and some of these builders, with their lads, came out of the country towns and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So neither I, nor my brethren,.... The nobles and rulers: nor my servants; his domestic servants that waited upon him: nor the men of the guard which followed me; his bodyguard, which attended him as a commissioner of the king of Persia for state and grandeur: none of us put off our clothes; at night when they laid themselves down to sleep, but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Ezra 5 In this chapter is a complaint of the poor against the rich for oppression of them, Ne 5:1 for which Nehemiah being angry, reproved them, and made them promise, and swear to it, to make restitution, Ne 5:6 and set them an example himself, taking nothing of them during his twelve years' government, supporting himself and his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives,.... Those of the poorer sort: against their brethren the Jews; the rich that oppressed them; and this cry or complaint was made to Nehemiah for redress.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For there were that said, we, our sons, and our daughters, are many,.... Not that they complained of the number of their children, for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a blessing with the Jews; but this they observed to show that their families, being large, required a considerable quantity of food to support them: therefore we take up...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Some also there were that said, we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses,.... Made them over to others, put them into their hands as pledges for money received of them: that we may buy corn; for the support of their families: because of the dearth; or famine; which might be occasioned by their enemies lying in wait and intercepting all...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
There were also that said,.... Who though they were able to buy corn for their families without mortgaging their estates: yet, say they, we have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards; for though the priests, Levites, and Nethinims, were exempted from it, yet not the people in common; and some of these were so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren,.... We are of the same nature, nation, stock, and religion: our children as their children; are circumcised as they, and have a right to the same privileges in church and state: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and daughters to be servants; shall be obliged to it, unless relieved: and some...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I was very angry when I heard their cry, and these words. Their complaint expressed in this manner; it not only raised pity and compassion in his breast towards these poor distressed people, but indignation at the rich that oppressed them.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then I consulted with myself,.... What was to be done, what method to be taken to redress such grievances: and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers; who were the men that monopolized the corn in this dear season, and sold it at an extravagant price, and had got the lands, vineyards, and houses of the poor mortgaged to them, and to whom they had...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I said unto them,.... The nobles, and rulers, and other rich persons that exacted usury of the poor: we after our ability; speaking of himself in the plural number, which now obtained in the court of Persia; or of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and others, who, according as their worldly circumstances, having been captives, would admit of: have redeemed...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Also I said, it is not good that ye do,.... The meaning is, that it was very bad; it is a "meiosis", by which more is intended than is expressed: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God; in reverence of him and his law, and according to that: because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies? whose mouths will be open to reproach the true...